Parents

Welcome to the Parents and members of the community page.

Your task is to read the all the information on the home page and then answer any of the following questions. You dont need to answer them all.
To do this you need to - click on "edit this page" and then put the cursor under the question you want to answer and insert a table 1 row x 1 column. Click inside the box and then type. Once you have typed your answer in click on "save". Repeat this process everytime you want to answer a question or add more information.
Please put your name at the end of your answer if you wish.
Thank you and Good luck.

1. List below the values that you believe are important to you

All of the values are important. However I beleive the word integrity sums up many of the listed values. As suggested in Bounceback, a person of integrity is honest, fair, responsible, loyal and socially just. To me this encompasses all values listed. Being a person of integrity is important and certainly one that I value very highly. Paul H

Honesty, trustworthiness, fair Go, are values we strongly work towards with our family all values listed are just as important and i think are generally covered in all that we do with our children.

All the 9 values I believe are very important however I would like to make special mention of Integrity and respect as two values I hold close to my heart and try to impart in my children.

RESPECT - for one another. LOVE - for themselves and others. EMPATHY - for others. REWARD for EFFORT - in anything they do.

Of the 9 values mentioned, I particularly relate with my children to the responsibility value in particular their contribution to society as individuals as they emerge in their later school years as the other values have contributed towards making them people who care for themselves, others and the environment they can now become productive contributers in society. Bridget

All nine values are important; however, it’s understandable that prioritising the importance of those values differs among individuals. For me, care and compassion for self and others, doing your best, respect, and responsibility are especially important and are encouraged strongly in our family. I believe these values feed into the remaining values. We invest the time to help our children understand these values. I say ‘invest’ because it is literally ongoing discussions, modelling behaviour, and teaching strategies so that our children can practise and live these values. We also explain the difference between ‘perfection’ and ‘doing your best’ and emphasise that everyone has their own ‘best’ and that ‘nobody is perfect’, which ties in with Bounceback. We try to teach our children constructive ways to resolve conflict; we encourage them to think about wants and needs, consider the other person’s perspective, and ‘brainstorm’ ideas for peaceful resolution of disputes. Of course, that’s not to say that that’s always adhered to, but we try our best!

2. What values do you believe children should be taught at school?

Obviously all values should be taught across the board throughout children's schooling. A good idea that I believe makes children aware of the values is to focus on one each month as a whole school. We do it at St Mary's. It's another simple way to make children aware of values. It's spoken about at whole school assemblies, in the classroom and a certificate is awarded to a child in each class at the end of the month for displaying that particular value. Paul H

Respect, responsibilbity, care and compassion along with doing your best. It is important that the school supports what the families beleive. I do strongly believe that values should be instilled in children from home first. All 9 values would be alive in the school community in many very different ways.

As Jesus and HIS life is the perfect model for our children, HIS life needs to be part of our children's learning - at home and school - and through learning about Jesus our kids will learn true values.

Values at school should reflect the values from home carried into a larger setting, however the setting is different, experiences vary etc. and this needs to be kept in mind when teaching values. The partnership between school and parents where information is relayed needs to be open in it's communication. Bridget.

All nine values should be taught at school; however, not necessarily to all year levels at the same time. In my view, some values such as care and compassion, doing your best, respect, and responsibility would probably be easier for the younger children to understand than the remaining values. Hence, teaching these values should start in the earliest years. Later, as children’s understanding develops, the complexity of the remaining values might be better understood. Further, if the four mentioned values are grasped and practised early, this might facilitate children’s understanding of the remaining values.

3. Do you believe that St Peter's school supports the values you find important?

I do believe that St Peter's supports and teaches all of the core values. We often chat around the dinner table about what went on at school. From the conversations about how the children play and resolve any issues, it's obvious that the values we teach and model at home are being reinforced at school. Paul H

I know through continual RE my kids are learning the true values. Secondly, my children talk to me about their classroom and playground situations and how these different situations playout and are resolved,mostly with a "learning edge" to them.

Not only does St Peter's School support the values that are important to me, I feel it promotes them on a daily basis. As a class helper I have seen the signs on the wall reminding children to 'show respect' and to 'care for each other' and have witnessed the teacher reinforcing this when a child has forgotten or not complied with the class values.

I do believe St Peter's school supports the values we value at home and this is re-enforced everytime I am in conversation with a teacher at the school. Bridget.

I do believe St Peter’s school supports the values that we find important. Our children share their learning with us, we see the homework they do including their RE work, they tell us about their social interactions, we assist at the school in various ways, we attend school assemblies, we read the school newsletters, we have good communication with staff and parents, and from this we can clearly see the values in action.

4. Look at the Nine Values for Schooling (on home page) and comment on how you believe the school promotes these values and to what extent.

As previously stated I do believe St Peter's supports the values. They promote the values through the curriculum and the way in which it's administered. The bounceback program is a great example of this. Weekly reinforcement of this via your program certainly has its benefits. Paul H

St Peter's is continually promoting all these values in the way they teach our children, as well as through the bounceback program which is always being modelled and promoted including weekly recognition of children's knowledge and acceptance of the program

Definately through the BOUNCEBACK programme and actually recognising the kids efforts at school assembly. This reinforces BOUNCEBACK to all the children. Discussions held at school assembly talking about school and world events and how behaviors impact these events. I feel this impacts the kids.

St.Peter's has one distinct advantage over the Australian school values. That is, whilst these school values are valid, they lack a model. We have Jesus to model true values.

At school assemblies I see many of the values I believe in being applied. The School rewards and acknowledges children when they are Doing Their Best, it supports Freedom of speech and emphasises the importance of Honesty and Trustworthiness, Care and Compassion and Respect. The children are encouraged to share the Responsibilities of public speaking, looking after their school grounds, caring for the environment and each other. The BOUNCEBACK program which underpins all of the 9 Values for Australian Schooling, is a common inclusion of the school assemblies. This is displayed in the form of plays, dances, skits, poems and presentations by the children. This shows the strong commitment St Peter's has towards promoting the values I consider important for the upbringing of my children.

In the previous response I’ve referred to some of the ways the school promotes the nine values for schooling. The school strongly promotes these values via the Bounceback program. While there are numerous similar programs available, the school’s commitment to this program is testament to its success. Unlike some schools that try such programs for a little while but don’t continue with them, St Peter’s has persisted and maintained Bounceback as a core school feature for several years. What I value most about Bounceback is its ease of use as children and parents find the acronym easy to learn and remember, and I consider Bounceback to be a preventative measure against later life pressures that children may face. We have witnessed wonderful displays of the acronym at assembly and children are rewarded on a weekly basis at assembly for utilising Bounceback. While children don’t always remember the specific event that led to their reward, the fact that Bounceback is routinely referred to demonstrates the importance of the underlying values. The school also promotes the nine values through its open communication with parents/caregivers and encourages parental involvement in the school, whether to assist, view children’s work, attend excursions and assemblies and so forth.

5. Look at the St Peter's Vision Statement (on home page) and comment on whether you believe values are addressed and how.

The values for schools are certainly addressed in the school's vision statement. As catholic schools Jesus should be the focus of our teaching and the model we provide for our children. I think it is particularly important to ensure that children are educated to be able to fully participate in society ( as stated in Vision), with an understanding and tolerance to accept all races, religions & beliefs. not sure how I managed to edit or change this section but it is not highlighted for any reason. Still Learning!!! Paul H

The values in the Vision Statement are continually addressed on a daily basis at St Peter's school with Jesus as our role model and the compasionate and welcoming atsmosphere all 9 values are visable in our school community.

The school vision statement makes many connections to the 9 values of Australian Schooling - With Jesus as our model he displayed - care and compassion in all aspects of his life. To be effective members of the community you need - understanding, tolerance and inclusion. Taking risks would relate to the value of trying hard to pursue excellence. And the vision statement clearly states respect. Yes I feel the values are being addressed well.

By teaching Jesus' values through the gospels and discussing - and at times applying them - to the children's learning of our community and the larger world, makes important connections for the kids. They can see the values "at work".

The nine values for schooling are embedded in St Peter’s vision statement. ‘The Gospel values of love, empathy and forgiveness’ are a reflection of the values of care and compassion for self and others, doing your best (love and feel worthy for all you accomplish), fair go (treat all people fairly), freedom (stand up for the rights of others), respect others, responsibility (forgiveness is one means of resolving differences; take care of the environment), and understanding, tolerance and inclusion (accept that everyone is different, include others). ‘Working in partnership with families’ is reflected in the values of honesty and trustworthiness, integrity, respect, responsibility, and understanding, tolerance and inclusion and this is promoted through the school’s open communication (through the school newsletter, website, meetings, etc.) with parents and parental participation within the school. While effective leadership is evident in our school, team spirit is continually reinforced. ‘A welcoming atmosphere of acceptance, respect and celebration of the individual’ is reflected in the values of fair go, respect, and understanding, tolerance and inclusion. ‘Empowered to be thinkers and encouraged to take risks’ is reflected in the values of doing your best, respect, and responsibility (accountability).

6. Look at the goals of BOUNCEBACK! Do you believe the core values are connected well with the Nine Values for Schooling ?

Bounceback is a great program which does connect well with the values. Paul H

Most definately Bounceback is fantastic and it help the children to become more independant and to continue to grow with all nine values.

Very comparible. BOUNCEBACK is a terrific kids' program
I feel the objectives of BOUNCEBACK are closely aligned with the Nine Values for Schooling. BOUNCEBACK’s principles: Integrity ties in with the School Values of Integrity, Responsibility, Honesty & Trustworthiness and Respect and Doing Your Best Support is linked to the School Values of Care & Compassion and Responsibility Co-operation refers to Understanding, Tolerance & Inclusion, Care & Compassion and Fair Go Acceptance of Difference relates to Understanding, Tolerance & Inclusion Respect covers the School Values of Respect, Freedom and Understanding, Tolerance & Inclusion Friendliness also suggests Respect & Responsibility	The core values of Bounceback sit neatly with the nine values for schooling. Teaching these prosocial values early in life is so important in promoting self-acceptance, self-worth, and the pursuit and maintenance of healthy friendships.

Yes I do. BOUNCEBACK in my opinion is an excellent program aligned with the 9 values of schooling. Bridget.